Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1857)
| Wisconsin Question 1 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Race and ethnicity issues and Race and suffrage |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred state statute |
Origin |
Wisconsin Question 1 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred state statute in Wisconsin on November 3, 1857. It was defeated.
A "yes" vote supported providing suffrage to African American men over the age of 21. |
A "no" vote opposed providing suffrage to African American men over the age of 21. |
Election results
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Wisconsin Question 1 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 28,235 | 40.58% | ||
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41,345 | 59.42% | ||
Aftermath
Wisconsin voters decided on four measures related to African American male suffrage in 1847, 1849, 1857, and 1865. The 1849 measure was approved but did not take effect because a majority of voters voting at the election did not approve it, while the other three were defeated.
The election results of the 1849 measure were challenged in Gillespie v. Palmer (1866). Ezekiel Gillespie, one of the leaders of the Black community in Milwaukee, tried to register to vote for the 1865 general election but was denied by election inspectors. The case was taken up by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Gillespie finding that voters had given the right to vote to African Americans at the 1849 election. The Court ruled the results from the 1857 and 1865 election were moot and said:[1][2]
| “ | To declare a measure or law adopted or defeated – not by the number of votes cast directly for or against it, but by the number cast for and against some other measure, or for the candidates for some office or offices not connected with the measure itself, would not only be out of the ordinary course of legislation, but, so far as we know, a thing unknown in the history of constitutional law. It would be saying that the vote of every person who voted for any candidate for any office at such election, and did not vote on the suffrage question, should be a vote against the extension of suffrage.[3] | ” |
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:
| “ | For extension of suffrage, yes For the extension of suffrage, no | ” |
Support
Arguments
- Richland County Observer : "All people, whether white or black, who are in the United States, are governed by the laws of the United States, and those who abide by laws should have as much as a voice in electing law makers."[4]
Opposition
Arguments
- The Argus & Democrat : "We want no negro equality for it is a physical and mental impossibility ; we want no political equality, for it would bring with it negro rulers ; we want no negro sociality for it would degrade and brutify our race."[5]
Path to the ballot
In Wisconsin, a referred state statute is required for laws that extend "the right of suffrage to additional classes," per Article III, Section 2 of the Wisconsin Constitution. Before 1902, referred statutes were required for laws that affect banking.
A simple majority vote is required during two legislative sessions for the Wisconsin State Legislature to place a referred statute on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 50 votes in the Wisconsin State Assembly and 17 votes in the Wisconsin State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Statutes require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Wisconsin Court System, "Famous Cases of the Wisconsin Supreme Court: Gillespie v. Palmer and others 28 Wis. 544 (1866)"
- ↑ Wisconsin Historical Society, The Wisconsin Supreme Court reaffirms black voting rights, 1866: Gillespie vs. Palmer and others
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Richland County Observer, "Negro Suffrage," accessed July 24, 2024
- ↑ The Reedsburg Herald, "Negro Suffrage--The Case Fairly States," accessed July 24, 2024
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